When is the next blue moon in 2022

Last Updated: 18th January, 2021 19:54 IST

A Blue Moon is an additional Full Moon that appears in a subdivision of a year. So when is the next Blue Moon? It is going to be in August 2023.

When is the next blue moon in 2022


A Blue Moon is an extra Full Moon that appears in a subdivision of a year which means that they show up every two or three years. This extra moon is called Blue moon but it has nothing to do with the actual colour of the Moon, So, when does the next Blue Moon happen? Continue reading this article to know about the Blue Moon schedule.

Also read | Cyberpunk 2077 Makers Release An Apology For Another Update Delay For Their Latest Release

When is the next Blue Moon

Also read | How To Get Grefg Skin? Here's More About Upcoming Skin Releasing In Fortnite

Blue Moons usually show up every two or three years. In the year 2018, we had witnessed two Blue Moons in one year and these were apart by only a duration of two months. One of them was even a lunar eclipse. The next time we can see two Blue Moons in a year will be in 2037. 

The phases of the Moon take 29.5 days to complete, this means that 354 days total for 12 full cycles. This is just a bit less than the 365/366 days in a calendar year and due to this every 2,5 years a 13th Full Moon can be seen. The reason why the additional Full Moon is called a Blue Moon is that it doesn't fit properly with the normal naming scheme.

The first Full Moon of the month of October was on October 1-2, 2020. It was the Northern Hemisphere’s Harvest Moon and it also had a second Full Moon, which was called a Blue Moon. This came on the night of Halloween on October 31, 2020. Here is the schedule for the next Blue Moons according to moongiant.com:

  • Year 2020 - 
    • First Full Moon - Oct 2, 2020
    • Blue Moon -  Oct 31, 2020
  • Year 2023
    • First Full Moon -  Aug 1, 2023
    • Blue Moon -  Aug 31, 2023
  • Year 2026
    • First Full Moon -  May 1, 2026
    • Blue Moon - May 31, 2026
  • Year 2028
    • First Full Moon -  Dec 2, 2028
    • Blue Moon - Dec 31, 2028
  • Year 2031
    • First Full Moon -  Sep 1, 2031
    • Blue Moon - Sep 30, 2031
  • Year 2034
    • First Full Moon -  Jul 1, 2034
    • Blue Moon - Jul 31, 2034
  • Year 2037
    • First Full Moon -  Jan 2, 2037
    • Blue Moon - Jan 31, 2037
  • Year 2037
    • First Full Moon -  Mar 2, 2037
    • Blue Moon - Mar 31, 2037
  • Year 2039
    • First Full Moon -  Oct 2, 2039
    • Blue Moon - Oct 31, 2039

Also read | Bungie Halo Stats To Go Dark On February 9: Here's More About The Bungie Release

Also read | Pokemon Go Slaking: Know Slaking Best Moveset, Weakness, Evolution, Counters & More

  1. Home
  2. References
  3. Skywatching

When is the next blue moon in 2022

A Blue Moon is a rare occurrence that depends on the timings of full moons during the year. (Image credit: Herken Herken / 500px via Getty Images)

"Once in a Blue moon" is a phrase commonly used to describe an incredibly rare event, but what does it mean in astronomical terms? Can the moon turn blue?

There are two types of Blue Moons but unfortunately neither has anything to do with color. 

A seasonal Blue Moon is the traditional definition of a Blue Moon and refers to the third full moon in a season that has four full moons according to NASA (opens in new tab). Whilst the second definition — borne out of a misunderstanding of the first — is a monthly Blue Moon which refers to the second full moon within a single calendar month. The monthly Blue Moon is nowadays considered the second definition of a Blue Moon rather than a mistake, according to Time and Date (opens in new tab).

Related: What is a blood moon?

What is a Blue Moon?

As the cycle of the phases of the moon lasts approximately one month, we typically experience 12 full moons each year. Many cultures have given distinct names to each month's full moon. 12 months, 12 full moons, 12 names. Simple right?

Well, not quite. Here's where the Blue Moon comes into the equation.

The moon phases actually take 29.5 days to complete which means it takes just 354 days to complete 12 lunar cycles. So every 2.5 years or so a 13th full moon is observed within a calendar year. 

This 13th full moon doesn't conform to the normal naming scheme and is referred to as the Blue Moon. 

How often do Blue Moons occur?

Contrary to the popular phrase "once in a blue moon", Blue Moons can occur relatively frequently, that is, in astronomical terms. 

Blue Moons occur once every two to three years, according to NASA. As there are roughly 29.5 days between full moons, February will never experience a monthly Blue Moon as it only has 28 days in a common year and 29 in a leap year. Sometimes February doesn't have a Full Moon at all, this is known as a Black Moon, according to Time and Date.

When is the next Blue Moon?

The next monthly Blue Moon is on Aug. 30/31, 2023 according to Time and Date. The next seasonal Blue Moon will take place on Aug. 19/20, 2024.  

When was the last Blue Moon?

The last Blue Moon was on Aug. 22, 2021, and thrilled skywatchers worldwide. 

Related: Rare Blue Moon, the last until 2023, wows stargazers (photos)

If you're interested in trying to capture an impressive lunar image yourself and want to learn the right techniques and tools, check out our handy how to photograph the moon guide.  

Can the moon ever turn blue?

Yes! But this is a very rare event, in fact, you could say it happens "once in a Blue Moon". 

According to NASA in 1883 an Indonesian volcano called Krakatoa erupted and spread ash as high as 50 miles (80 kilometers) into the atmosphere. The tiny ash particles — about one micron in size — acted as a filter, scattering red light and turning the moon a distinct blue-green hue. 

According to NASA Science (opens in new tab), other volcanic eruptions have also been known to cause blue moons including the 1983 eruption of El Chichon volcano in Mexico and the eruptions of Mt. St. Helens in 1980 and Mount Pinatubo in 1991.  

Additional information

Explore Blue Moons in a nutshell with ESA's useful Blue Moon infographic (opens in new tab). Check out this cool image (opens in new tab) of a Blue Moon captured by the European weather satellite MSG-3 just before the moon disappeared out of sight. Discover the difference between (opens in new tab) types of full moons with NASA.  

Bibliography

Mohon, L. (2021, August 20). Blue Moon – Watch the skies. NASA. Retrieved April 21, 2022, from https://blogs.nasa.gov/Watch_the_Skies/tag/blue-moon/ 

NASA. (n.d.). Blue Moon. NASA. Retrieved April 21, 2022, from https://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2004/07jul_bluemoon 

Hocken, V., & Kher, A. Look up for a blue moon! What Is a Blue Moon? Retrieved April 21, 2022, from https://www.timeanddate.com/astronomy/moon/blue-moon.html#:~:text=The%20next%20monthly%20Blue%20Moon,are%20traditionally%20called%20Sturgeon%20Moons.&text=There%20is%20no%20Blue%20Moon%20in%202022.

Join our Space Forums to keep talking space on the latest missions, night sky and more! And if you have a news tip, correction or comment, let us know at: .

Daisy Dobrijevic joined Space.com in February 2022 as a reference writer having previously worked for our sister publication All About Space magazine as a staff writer. Before joining us, Daisy completed an editorial internship with the BBC Sky at Night Magazine and worked at the National Space Centre in Leicester, U.K., where she enjoyed communicating space science to the public. In 2021, Daisy completed a PhD in plant physiology and also holds a Master's in Environmental Science, she is currently based in Nottingham, U.K.

How often are blue moons?

How often does a blue moon happen? Normally blue moons come only about every two or three years. In 2018 unusually, we had two blue moons in one year and only two months apart – and one was a lunar eclipse! The next time we will get two blue moons in a year will be 2037.

How many times blue moon occurs in a year?

Blue Moons occur once every two to three years, according to NASA. As there are roughly 29.5 days between full moons, February will never experience a monthly Blue Moon as it only has 28 days in a common year and 29 in a leap year.

Is there a dark moon in 2022?

The next time there's a second New Moon in a single calendar month is in April, with the New Moon on April 30, 2022 a Black Moon—and also a partial solar eclipse (see below). For most people in the world this is the only Black Moon in 2022.

Is there a special moon tonight 2022?

Yes, August's full Moon, the Sturgeon Moon in 2022 is a supermoon, and the third (and last) supermoon of the year! Supermoons are categorised when the Moon is at 360,000km or less away from Earth in its orbital path, and we'll often have two or three full supermoons in a row.